Settling chamber for selective beverage dispensers



Sept. 21, 1937.

F. J. T. BARNES SETTLING CHAMBER FOR SELECTIVE BEVERAGE DISPENSERS Filed Nov. 28, 1934 1% m9 1,27 /79 1129 150 I57 H 1% a "%l 15 1% I Q a '25 1 I Iii Ir HI" I. 121 i y 1.1 IIJU 117 160 i A 120 J Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT @FMQE SETTLING CHAMBER FOR SELECTIVE BEVERAGE DISPENSERS Frederick John Trevallon Barnes, Brisbane, Australia 6 Claims.

This invention relates to selective dispensing apparatus whereby any one of a plurality of liquids, or a mixture of a plurality of liquids, can be admitted to, and, if desired, carbonated in,

and delivered from a single apparatus.

The various objects and features of the invention will appear hereinafter from the following detailed description of some specific embodiments of the invention illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing in which:--

Figure l is a sectional elevation of a selective dispensing apparatus according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional plan on the line I l-I4 of Figure l and Figure 3 is a sectional under-plan on the line I5-I5 of Figure 1.

The drawing shows an apparatus for dispensing any selected one, or selected mixture, of a plurality of fluids or liquids. A wide cylinder of glass III] engages a rubber ring I II at each end; the lower rubber ring III is supported in a flanged metal disc I I 2 resting on another packing ring of rubber H3 engaging the metal body II4 of the apparatus. The top rubber ring III rests in a flanged metal plate H5 and the plate H5 is connected to the body of the apparatus I It by vertical tension bolts IIS.

It will be seen that the glass cylinder Ill] provides a sight chamber which is completely closed except for the inlets and outlets hereinafter mentioned. Depending into the sight chamber are four glass conduits II'I each being received in a union H8 in the top plate I I5 and each communicating, as shown in Figure 2, with a lateral branch pipe H9.

The lower end of each glass tube H1 is normally closed by a rubber washer mounted on a conical valve I carried on a vertical metal spindle I2 I, which spindle slides at its upper end through a stuffing-box I22 and is formed with a collar I23 loosely surrounding it and a flanged head I24 fixed to its upper end. A compressionspring I25 engaging the head I24 and the collar I23 holds the valve I20 normally closed.

As can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the axes of the conduits II'i are spaced around the central axis of the sight chamber. Arranged concentrically with the sight chamber is a fixed pillar I26 screw-threaded, as shown, into the top plate II5. Slidable longitudinally on the pillar I26 is a sleeve I21 having a disc-like portion I28 formed integrally with it. The disc I 28 is flanged at its under surface to a uniform depth except at a point I29 where a radial enlargement is formed as can be seen from Figures 1 and 3. The portion I29 is bored to receive a compression-spring I30 acting on a ball I3I adapted to engage with one of four symmetrically arranged grooves I32 in the pillar I26. The bore for the spring I3!! is closed by a screw-plug I33.

The sleeve I2l has a head portion I34 screwthreaded onto it and retained by a grub screw I35 and a ring I36 lies loosely around the sleeve between the head I35 and the disc I28.

Projecting upwardly from the top plate IE5 of the apparatus is a metal pillar I31 forked at the top to provide a pivot for one end of a lever I38 having a handle at I39. The lever I38 is formed with a ring portion I40 having inwardly projecting screws I li passing through bosses I42. The pointed inner ends of the screws I3I engage depressions in the ring I36.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that if the handle I39 is moved downwardly the ring I36 engages the disc I28 whereby the disc is also moved downwardly. To limit the extent of movement of the parts a guide pillar I43 is provided diametrically opposite to the pillar I3? and is slotted at I46 and the lever I39 passes through this slot. The lever is normally held in the position shown in Figure 1 by a spring I engaging a collar It on the pillar 1126 and. abutting against the lower end of the sleeve lZl.

At the lower end of the apparatus, as shown in Figure 1, a bush Idl is fitted to the body IN! and provides an annular conduit I48 for liquid. Within the bush I i'I there is a smaller bush M9 which supports a vertical glass tube I50 which rises nearly to the top of the sight chamber.

When the apparatus is in use, each of the branch pipes I I9 is connected to a separate source of fluid or liquid. For example, each pipe may communicate with a vessel containing fruit juice, or one of the pipes may be connected to a supply of water for dilution purposes, and another connected to a supply of carbonic acid gas for carbonating the liquid previously admitted to the sight chamber.

The apparatus is operated as fol1ows:The disc I28 is rotated until the enlarged portion I29 lies immediately above the head I24 of the valve of the conduit appertaining to the particular liquid required. The handle I39 is then pressed down with the result that the particular valve I29 aforesaid is opened by the engagement of the enlarged portion I29 of the disc with the head I24 of that Valve, but the other three valves. are not opened since the abutment I44 arrests the downward movement of the parts before the unenlarged portion of the disc I28 comes into contact with the three remaining valve heads I24. The handle is kept down until the required amount of liquid or fluid has flowed out through the bottom of the tube II'I into the chamber IIIJ. During this operation air from the chamber is exhausted through the glass tube I50 and passes away through shifting ports. If it is desired to mix one fluid or liquid with another, the disc I 28 is rotated by means of a knob portion I34 into a new position in which the enlargement I29 engages the head I24 of a diiferent valve. The handle I39 is then pressed down and a different fluid or liquid enters the sight chamber and mixes with the liquid already in it.

To discharge the liquid from the sight chamber II!) a dispensing handle (not shown) is operated which opens a port communicating with the annular conduit I48.

It will be appreciated that the grooves I32 in the pillar I36 are so located with respect to the axes of the conduits I N that when the ball I3I is in engagement with the groove the enlargement I29 is in register with one of the valve heads. The spring I30, the ball I SI and the grooves I32 thus act as a detent to prevent rotation of the disc I25 during the actuation of the handle I39. The disc, or a part attached thereto, may carry an indicator giving the names of the fluids or liquids to which the pipes II9 are connected. An index may be provided on a fixed part of the apparatus to cooperate with the said indicator whereby the appropriate fluid or liquid may be selected by rotating the disc until the name of that fluid or liquid appears opposite the index.

t will be appreciated from the foregoing description that I have provided a simple apparatus for mixing, diluting or carbonating beverages.

I claim:-

1. The combination with a transparent walled sight chamber, having an upper wall provided with a plurality of hollow heads, of a plurality of pipes extending downwardly within said chamber from said hollow heads in parallel relationship, valves at the lower ends of said pipes, operating rods attached to said valves, extending within said pipes and through the said hollow heads, heads on the projecting ends of said rods, springs between the second mentioned heads and the upper wall of said chamber, liquid supply conduits admitting to said hollow heads, a stem projecting centrally from said upper wall, a disc rotatable on said stem, a plurality of notches on said stern corresponding in angular position to the several valve rods, spring detent means acting between said disc and said notches, a radial projection on the lower side of said disc, and a hand lever pivotally connected at its end to said sight chamber for vertical movement and engaged with said disc so as to move said disc vertically with said lever.

2. The combination with a transparent walled sight chamber, of a plurality of pipes extending vertically downwardly into said sight chamber and opening near the bottom thereof, valves at the lower ends of said pipes, operating rods for said valves extending outside said sight chamber, a rotatable selector disc having a plurality of setting positions, and a hand lever adapted selectively to operate said valve operating rods through the intermediary of said selector disc.

3. The combination with a transparent walled sight chamber, having an upper wall provided with a plurality of hollow heads, of a plurality of pipes extending downwardly within said chamber from said hollow heads in parallel relationship, valves at the lower ends of said pipes, operating rods attached to said valves extending within said pipes and through the said hollow heads, heads on the projecting ends of said rods, springs between the second mentioned heads and the upper wall of said chamber, liquid supply conduits admitting to said hollow heads, a rotatable selector disc having a plurality of setting positions, and a hand lever adapted selectively to operate said valve operating rods through the intermediary of said selector disc.

4. The combination with a transparent walled sight chamber, having an upper wall provided with a plurality of hollow heads, of a plurality of pipes extending downwardly within said chamber from said hollow heads in parallel relationship, valves at the lower ends of said pipes, operating rods attached to said valves extending within said pipes and through the said hollow heads, liquid supply conduits admitting to said hollow heads, a rotatable selector disc having a plurality of setting positions, and a hand lever adapted selectively to operate said valve operating rods through the intermediary of said selector disc.

5. The combination with a transparent walled sight chamber, having an upper wall provided with a plurality of hollow heads, of a plurality of pipes extending downwardly within said chamber from said hollow heads in parallel relationship, valves at the lower ends of said pipes, spring controlled operating rods attached to said valves and extending within said pipes and through the said hollow heads, liquid supply conduits admitting to said hollow heads, a rotatable selector disc having a plurality of setting positions, and a hand lever adapted selectively to operate said valve operating rods through the intermediary of said selector disc.

6. The combination with a transparent walled sight chamber, having an upper wall provided with a plurality of hollow heads, of a plurality of pipes extending downwardly within said chamber from said hollow heads in parallel relationship, valves at the lower ends of said pipes, spring controlled operating rods attached to said valves, and extending within said pipes and through the said hollow heads, liquid supply conduits admitting to said hollow heads, a stem projecting centrally from said upper wall, a disc rotatable on said stem, a plurality of notches in said stem corresponding in angular position to the several valve rods, spring detent means acting between said disc and said notches, a radial projection on the lower side of said disc, and a hand lever pivotally connected at its end to said sight chamber for vertical movement and engaged with said disc so as to move said disc vertically with said lever.

FREDERICK JOHN TREVALLON BARNES. 

